First-ever semifinals matchup undaunting for Maine football

ORONO - None of the circumstances around their upcoming FCS semifinal game seem to bother the Maine Black Bears.

Not the travel...

"We're road warriors now..what is this eight or nine road games now?," said quarterback Chris Ferguson.

Not the early start..

"I could play at 8 AM, I'm a junior but I'm still young," said cornerback Manny Patterson.

Not even the blood red turf Eastern Washington calls home..

"I started playing football in the parking lot..so if they want to play in the parking lot we can play in the parking lot..doesn't matter what field we on..," said linebacker Jeffrey Devaughn.

Maine is once again the underdog in the program's first ever semifinal, a prediction falling on deaf ears in that locker room.

"I feel like every week we come out and keep dominating these offenses and just making the point known that we are the top dogs and until they put respect on our name we're gonna keep doing it," said Patterson.

They'll face an Eagles team familiar with this stage of the season.

They were last in the semifinals in 2016, and won the national championship in 2010 against Delaware.

"They do a lot of things formationally, motions, different things that we're going to be challenged with to communicate and get lined up and ultimately just have to guard against the big play," said head coach Joe Harasymiak.

Though Maine's defense held steady Friday night, Chris Ferguson had somewhat of a down week.

He'll have to right the ship this week if they want to keep playing into the new year.

"We're just going to stick to who we are and continue to be who we are and look at how we got here..and just keep doing that..and not get away from that," said Ferguson.

It's Frisco or bust this Saturday in Washington.

"They've bought into the brand..they believe in the culture and when you do that and put the team first that's when you execute at a high level..we gotta keep it going..we're not satisfied doing this..they're hungry to go to Frisco," said Harasymiak.